Freepik Group Buy vs Official Pricing: Which One Is Better?

Freepik Group Buy Or Subscription

Designers and marketers all want the same types of resources: graphics, vectors, stock photos, design templates, etc. That’s where Freepik comes in! Their huge stock of graphics and templates makes choosing Freepik almost a no-brainer.

Freepik has plenty of resources available for free, but many of their premium resources are definitely behind a paywall. Because of that, many creatives are left with questions: should I get an official subscription? What is Freepik Group Buy, and is it affordable?

For the price of a round of coffee, you can gain access to advanced tools and resources. This is especially attractive for freelancers and agencies who want to work with advanced resources, but have limited revenue. While a group buy might look attractive at first, there are major security risks, as well as issues surrounding the way these licenses are supposed to work. Shared access also is very limiting.

In this article, we will outline what is included in both group buys and Freepik’s official pricing so that you can make the best decision possible for your work and your budget.

Freepik Official Subscription

Virtually all subscription services offer a pay-to-play model, and so does Freepik.

Freepik’s premium subscribers enjoy unlimited access to their massive library and can download as many files as they’d like. You’ll never have to worry about a download limit. With a premium subscription, you also enjoy an uninterrupted design experience, with no ads to ruin it.

One of the major benefits of an official subscription is the legal protection it offers for downloads. Each download comes with a commercial license. This allows you to legally avoid copyright claims and lawsuits when using the assets for client projects, marketing, and other commercial products. Should a client request proof of licensing for a vector graphic, you can quickly generate a PDF certificate straight from your account.

Another big perk is customer support. If you face any technical or billing issues, the Freepik team is there to support you.

What is a Freepik Group Buy?

Group buys are set up by third-party websites and communities. The organizer buys one official Freepik premium account and sells shared access to it for a lower price.

So instead of paying the annual or monthly full price, you pay the group buy provider a fraction of that. In return, you receive account details or access to the account through a browser extension.

The major selling point of a group buy is the lower cost. As a student or an affordable service provider, paying the full subscription price is impossible if you need a couple of premium files a month. A group buy makes premium Freepik services available on a tight budget.

Evaluating the Options

To see which choice is best, let’s analyze a couple of important elements that affect your design work.

Cost Breakdown

The yearly plan typically has a better rate than the monthly plan. However, this still means a much larger advance payment.

Group buys often have a cheaper option: under five dollars per month. Even though this option is cheaper, it results in legal penalties, wasted time, or possible frustration.

User Experience and Reliability

The official Freepik account works the best. You can just log in and instantly download any asset with little effort.

Group buy accounts are much less reliable. Since these accounts are shared with other users, they can often exceed Freepik’s download cap and be unable to download necessary files. This is even worse if a file is urgently needed to meet a client deadline. This is also made worse by the chance of these browser extensions causing security issues or focusing on extensions that have inefficient or buggy functionality. Freepik also has strict account sharing policies and will often ban an account if they suspect it is being shared. This leaves group buy users with no options if a ban occurs.

Licensing and Legal Risks

This is where the official subscription heavily outweighs the group buy.

Group buying files means that the license gets registered under the primary account holder. You will not be given the license, and if you use the files in your projects and sell them as commercial products, you have no legal guarantee that you own the file under your license. This will affect your clients if anybody decides to sue them due to copyright issues. This alone puts professional designers in jeopardy as group buys are a high-stake risk.

FAQs

Are Freepik group buys against the law?

Group buys are against Freepik’s Terms of Service. When clients share credentials, they are breaching their membership’s agreement. It is not guaranteed that you will be personally sued as one of the buyers, but it does mean that your account will be terminated without a refund.

Can group buy downloads be used to work on client projects?

You can use the files that you downloaded, but you still don’t have the commercial license. Using assets that are not licensed in your client work is not only unacceptable but puts your clients in jeopardy of being sued for copyright infringement.

Does Freepik sell its official plans at discounted rates?

Yes. Particularly for their big sale times such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Freepik runs promotional campaigns. Committing long-term to an annual billing cycle is one way to save money.

Making the Right Decision About Your Designs

When it comes to choosing between a Freepik group buy and official pricing, it is ultimately about how you will use the assets and your professional responsibility.

Group buys may be worth it if you practice privately, or casually, with no plans of commercial publishing. However, you may be facing frequent login errors, daily download limits, and (possibly) permanent access loss in the event of an account ban.

If you are a working designer, a freelancer, or part of a marketing agency, consider the Freepik subscription your only option. The more expensive pricing is a part of the budget you need to allocate as a good business practice. A Freepik subscription ensures a reliable workflow and secure legal licensing. Not protecting your clients from copyright infringement when running your design business is a serious mistake.

You should spend your money on your business. The Freepik pricing page is new, and prices fluctuate, so check to see if you want to opt for a monthly subscription.

How Do Freepik Subscriptions Compare to Group Buys?

Are you interested in a Freepik subscription, but don’t want to spend your entire savings on it? Read on to check out the costs and risks associated with a Freepik group buy vs official subscription.